Improvement in kilns



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH CONNABLE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN KILNS.

Speeification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1312180, dated March 25, 1873.

.To all whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, RALPH ONNABLE, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a certain Improvement in Kilns, of which the following is a speciflcation:

This invention relates to that class of kilus in which the flame and heated gases from the furnaces pass in a downward direction through the ware in the burning-chamber. My improvement consists of a peculiarly-formed brick for constructing the floor of the burning-chamber of the kiln, each brick having a tapering cavity or recess in one side formin g a draft-hole, which, the brick being set up on edge with the smaller end of the cavity uppermost, cannot easily be choked up by pieces of clay or dirt falling into it, as rubbish which'can pass into the hole at all must necessarily pass through and fall to the floor of the basement beneath.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved kiln. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is also a sectional` elevation taken in a plane at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the floor-brick.

The same letters of reference are used in all the figures in the designation of identical parts.

This kiln is more especially intended for burning sewer and .drain pipe, but is equally well adapted for burning other kinds of earthenware or brick. It may be built in rectangular or any other form, covered by an arched roof, as shown, to reverberate the heat, suitable openings a being built in the root' at different points, through which the salt used for glazing purposes may be introduced. These openings must be provided with covers.

The kiln is constructed with a basement, A., beneath the furnacesB and the floor C of the burning-chamber. This basement or cellar-is intersected by several parallel walls A', which support at proper intervals beams D, of brick or other suitable material, beneath the floor of the burning-chamber, and a solid floorbeneath the furnaces, 'as best seen in Fg. 2, doors a' being also built in these walls to connect the several divisions of the basement, which communicates by a flue with the uptake. The furnaces are built in. one side of the kiln,

and divided from the burning-chamber there of by means of the solid bridge-wall, E, which should extend up to such a height :as to reach above the ware in the burning-chamber. The floor of the latter is constructed With pigeonholes, as shown, so as to cause the flame and heated gases to be drawn in vertical, or nearly vertical, lines through the ware and floor into the basement. In consequence ot' this direction of the draft the ware will be heated with great uniformity, and the floor, consisting ot' open-work, will be heated about as fast as the ware, so that in burning sewer-pipe the rings of clay, upon which they have heretofore always been placed in the burning-chamber to prevent their craekin g, owing to the unequal application of the heat, may be dispensed with, and the pipes set directly upon the floor. The pigeon-holes should be more numerous furthest from the furnaces and the flue which conducts the products of combustion from the basement to the uptake, in order to equalze the draft throughout the burning-clamber.

The floor is constructed of bricks F, formed with a tapering cavity or recess, f, in one side, as shown best in Fig. 5. These bricks should be placed upon the supporting-beamsD edgewise, with the smaller end of the cavity f uppermost, and all facing one way in each row.

The flaring character of the apertures thus cult to remove, as the intense heat never reaches the bottom.

Deflectors G are built upon the inside, before the upperpart of the furnace-doors H, to,

i\ direct the air entering there downward into the body of the burning fuel.

The furnace-doors are closed by open brickwork up to a line, h, (see Fig. 1,)and the fires are fed through the opening above that line in the usual manner.

The binders I may be wooden beams, scpa= rated from the wall of the kiln by a layer of bricks, as shown best in Fig. 4.

In consequence of this construction of the kiin, as hereinbefore described, there is a very small amount of dead work under the floor to heat up and cool off at each burning, thus saving time in both Operations, as well as fuel in heating.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The brick F, having a tepering cavity in one side, substmtially as specified.

2. A pcrforated floor of a down-draft kih, built of bricks F, which are constructed and arranged substentially as specified. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH CONNABLE.

witnesses:

- J OEL SMITH,

JOHN KAISER. 

